I'm Still Here
by SharpestSpoon
Summary: Speak with your mind, and use your senses with your heart. You are our Savior.
1. Written In The Stars

**Author's Note- HI! This is definitely a first for me, and for that I must thank my super awesome incredible mini-me! If she didn't write Warriors stories, I never would've come up with this… :D**

**Disclaimer- Like I've said millions of times. If I owned Harry Potter/Warriors/Ouran/Young Justice, I'd be rich… So just learn to understand that I DON'T! **

**Oh, and if you don't like OC stories, like completely OC, then don't read this. I mean, really. If you do, and you don't like it, go ahead and review crappily. I'll just laugh at your stupidity.**

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**Allegiances**

**ThunderClan**

**Leader****-** **Crossstar—**Huge, pale gold tabby with a large orange zigzag stripe down his tail. Black eyes. Fair temper, mind-blowing strategist. Likes to joke around, but will be serious if any of his Clan are threatened.

**(Mate- Arrowbreeze)**

**Deputy**- **Sparklewind—**Huge, black as night tom, dark amber eyes. Quiet, serious, awesome hunter/warrior. So named because his mom (A totally ditzy kittypet) saw a sparkly rock when she was having him.

**(Love interest- Dawnstripe)**

**Medicine Cat**- **Frostheart—**Small, pale brown she-cat with icy blue eyes. Has a slightly twisted front left paw. Could've made an excellent warrior but decided that even though it would suck to not have love, she wanted to be a medicine cat. Sweet, compassionate, and caring. Snappy when needed.

**Apprentice- Ashpaw**

**Warriors** (Toms and she-cats without kits)

**Lionwing—**Large, dark gold tom. Strong, friendly.

**(Mate- Specklefoot)**

**Dragonstorm—**Small, lithe hunter. Dark gray, with green eyes. Snappy, but sweet to his mate.

**Apprentice- Dapplepaw (Mate- Oakpelt)**

**Oakpelt—**Pretty ginger tabby she-cat. Often helps out Frostheart. Good fighter, kind of goofy.

**(Mate- Dragonstorm)**

**Dawnstripe—**Bluish-gray she-cat with dawn-orange eyes. Fast runner, afraid of foxes. Sweet, but won't take your crap.

**Apprentice- Treepaw (Love interest- ?)**

**Burntail—**White and gray she-cat, lost her tail in a fire. Nice, kind of grumpy.

**Whiteclaw—**Magnificent white tabby tom. Good heart, basically awesome.

**Apprentice- Seapaw**

**Heartfang—**Dark red she-cat. Serious but sweet.

**Apprentice- Sunpaw**

**Darkfur—**Black and white tabby tom. Bad tempered, rude.

**Arrowbreeze—**Dusky brown she-cat. Quiet, but her hunting skills are spoke about by all of the Clans.

**Mothblaze—**Completely black, except for random white hairs threading through her back. Young, despite the white hairs. Spunky, kick-ass-ask-questions-later kind of cat.

**Apprentices** (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

**Sunpaw—**Broad gold tom. Stubborn, but a quick learner. No siblings.

**Dapplepaw—**A tiny, nervous, and sweet tortoiseshell she-cat.

**(Siblings- Treepaw and Sweetkit)**

**Ashpaw—**A light gray tabby tom with black stripes. Caring, great inner sadness.

**(Love interest- Sweetkit) (That'll be explained in a little while, I promise)**

**(Sibling- Seapaw)**

**Treepaw—**Big, dark tortoiseshell tom. Loud, protective, stubborn.

**Seapaw—**Big, sweet she-cat. Snappy. Light gray tabby.

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**Lightningwind—**A pale gold tabby. Newest queen.

**(3 kits) **

**(Sibling- Crossstar) **

**(Father of her kits will be explained!)**

**Specklefoot—**Pretty ginger tabby. Snappy, stubborn, but caring.

**(3 kits- two became apprentices) **

**(Mate- Lionwing)**

**Kits**

**(Lw) – They're two moons old**

**Nightkit—**Dark tabby she-cat.

**Moonkit—**Pale tabby tom.

**Rosekit—**Pinkish she-cat.

**(Sf) – Seven moons old**

**Sweetkit—**Pale brown pelt (long furred), bright green eyes. Sweet, caring, big heart. Got greencough, and missed the apprentice ceremony.

**(Love interest—You'll figure it out!)**

**Elders**

**Spottedfang—**Snappy, blind tom. Black and white.

**Willowear—**White tabby she-cat. Loves to tell stories.

**Flower—**Kittypet who showed up at ThunderClan when she was a kit. Pale gold. Became a good warrior.

**(Mother of Crossstar and Lightningwind.)**

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_Chapter 1_

_Written In the Stars_

_Sweetkit's POV_

My cough was finally starting to go away, but it was already too late.

I was still a kit, when I was supposed to be an apprentice. A sigh slipped out of my lips involuntarily, and Ashpaw instantly jumped up from his bed of moss near Frostheart.

"Are you okay, Sweetkit?" He mewed, sniffing around me. I didn't fight the urge to hiss at him.

"Leave me alone! I'm fine!"

"Ashpaw, let her be. I'm about to take you out to gather herbs." Frostheart's throaty purr eased my anger slightly, but I still narrowed my eyes at Ashpaw.

_Why can't I be an apprentice with you? Now we can't be… Together. _

I gave up being angry all together, and sighed again.

"Sweetkit, if you're up to it, I'm sure you can walk around the clearing today. Maybe go visit the elders," Frostheart proposed. I flicked my ears to show I'd heard, and she licked my head softly.

"It'll be okay. You'll be one soon, I promise." I purred at her words. She and Ashpaw padded out of her den.

I sat pondering her words for a little while, then tried to stand. I was shaky, my legs threatening to collapse under me, but I was up. I took a few experimental steps around the den, stumbled more than a few times, and finally got the hang of walking again.

I stepped out of the den into the bright sunlight. I blinked a few times, trying to get my eyes to adjust.

A yowl from my left startled me.

My brother, Treepaw, was barreling towards me. Dapplepaw, my sister, intercepted him.

"You can't tackle Sweetkit! You might hurt her!" Dapplepaw mewed, before turning and tackling me herself, though gently. "I've missed you Sweetkit!"

"You just came and visited me yesterday!" I meowed, laughing.

"Yeah, but yesterday was sooo long ago!" Treepaw cried. Dapplepaw started laughing with me.

A familiar voice burst into our conversation.

"Treepaw! You're coming on a hunting patrol with me!" Dawnstripe yowled, glaring at my brother from the entrance to the hollow.

He raced towards her.

"And _you're_ supposed to be getting fresh moss for the elders' bedding!" Dragonstorm growled, as he came up behind us. Dapplepaw jumped a foot into the air, and I saw her eyes fill with tears.

"I'm sorry!" She squeaked, then rushed off.

Dragonstorm nodded at me, then prowled off to join the hunting patrol.

I glared at his back, angry once more because he'd frightened my little sister.

"Mouse-brain," I snapped under my breath. Dragonstorm's ears flicked, and I realized I'd said the insult too loudly. The large tom didn't turn though, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

Someone cuffed the side of my head, and I tottered.

"You should respect your elders!" Specklefoot, my mother, meowed. She then purred, and rubbed against my side.

"I'll try," I mewed. Her purr became a hissing laugh. Specklefoot licked one of my ears, the bounded off into the forest to hunt. I looked longingly after her.

"Sweetkit!" Seapaw, Ashpaw's sister, raced around me, skidding as she tried to stop. I laughed lightly.

She leaped back towards me, and this time landed at my side.

"How are you?" She mewed excitedly.

"I'm fine, thanks to Frostheart and your brother. They've helped a lot," I replied.

"You know that my-" Whiteclaw, one of the nicest warriors, came up and cut her off.

"Come, Seapaw. We've got training. You can talk with Sweetkit when we return. Good day, Sweetkit." He nodded at me, and I dipped my head back. I guess he's her mentor.

Suddenly, I was alone in the middle of the hollow. I wandered dejectedly over to the fresh-kill pile, and grabbed a mouse. From there I trundled over to where the elders were sunning themselves.

"Hello!" I called around the mouse. Flower, a once-beautiful pale gold tabby, was the first to greet me. The rude and grumpy Spottedfang just grumbled. I placed the mouse at the feet of Willowear.

She and Flower began sharing it, and after a few bites each they tossed it to Spottedfang. Though blind, he knew exactly where it was, and finished it off quickly.

"Thank you, Sweetkit. How are you feeling?" Willowear asked. Her tail flicked in the air, and I decided that it'd be nice to curl up in the sun with them.

"Fine. Do you mind if I lay here with you guys for a little while? Frostheart and Ashpaw are out gathering herbs, and everyone else is out doing something… Dapplepaw is supposed to be bringing you fresh moss for bedding."

"We don't need new bedding!" Flower mewed. She turned and glared at Spottedfang. "If you didn't complain so much!" She hissed.

"Well I'm sorry if my bedding is damp! Whenever it's damp, my bones start aching!" Spottedfang hissed back.

Willowear began calming them both, then turned back to me.

"Would you like to hear a story while you're waiting, then?" I nodded enthusiastically. Willowear was a master storyteller, and she always told the best ones.

"Don't drone on and on about Firestar, Willowear!" Spottedfang snapped, then began stretching. He curled up again.

"I wasn't going to, Spottedfang," Willowear mewed calmly. She turned back to me, rolling her eyes. "What story would you like to hear?" She asked.

Of course, my favorite story came to mind. "Tell me about Yellowfang!" Willowear smiled softly.

"That's a very difficult story to tell, young one," Willowear purred.

"Please Willowear?" I pleaded. She laughed.

"Okay. A long, long time ago, long before even we even came to the lake, there was a medicine cat named Yellowfang. Before she became a medicine cat, she was a warrior, which was unheard of in those days. She was amazing at both, though her true calling came from healing. While she was the ShadowClan medicine cat, tragedy struck.

"The leader, Brokenstar, was making kits apprentices before they were six moons. One day, he took three kits out to teach them how to fight, and he killed them. He blamed the deaths of the kits on Yellowfang, and she became a loner. She wandered around on ThunderClan territory, and then she was found by Firestar, Firepaw at the time.

"Yellowfang was hungry and sick, so Firepaw caught her a rabbit, after they'd fought a bit. When they finished off the rabbit, ThunderClan warriors arrived. Tigerclaw, being the traitor he was, instantly began berating the two of them. Bluestar, of course, stopped it, and rightly punished Firepaw for feeding an enemy warrior and himself before his Clan."

I cut in, nearly bouncing with excitement at one of my favorite parts. "He became her apprentice!"

Willowear laughed, then continued.

"Yes, Bluestar did take Firepaw as her apprentice, but for a while, his duties were to take care of Yellowfang. This forged a bond between the two, though Yellowfang could be as grouchy as Spottedfang!

"Then, Spottedleaf was murdered. She was Firepaw's first love. They weren't meant to be, but it still hit Firepaw hard. However, another would rise in her place of healing. Yellowfang, of course, was the most likely candidate, and she did become the medicine cat of ThunderClan. Soon, though, her past would come back to ha-"

Crossstar's yowl cut off Willowear.

"Let all those old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock!" The elders began the descent from the sunning rock, while I just sat there. The Clan members began gather under the rock, and I heard someone mew my name.

Frostheart was beckoning me forward with her tail, though her eyes stayed on our leader. My eyes widened, but I still padded down the rock, slipping once, and tumbling down the rest of the way.

Darkfur sneered at me, and then I felt a tail wrap around my body. I glanced over to see Treepaw, and then Dapplepaw came up on my other side.

"It has been a hard leaf-bare, and there are few kits. But we have a good batch of apprentices and warriors. It is time for another to join the ranks of these good cats, since she could not previously." My whole body stiffened as I realized what Crossstar was talking about.

I was getting to become an apprentice.

I didn't care that it was a moon late.

_I was getting to become an apprentice!_

My mother came up behind me, and licked the dust off of my body. She purred approvingly.

"Sweetkit, step forward!" The crowd of cats cleared, and I was alone in the middle.

"I, Crossstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this kit. She has been kept waiting long enough for this honor. She is strong, and overcame a sickness that most adult cats cannot." It was mostly thanks to Frostheart… But then again… No thinking!

Crossstar locked eyes with me, then meowed, "From this day forward, until she earns her warrior name, this apprentice will be called Sweetpaw!" I almost squeaked with excitement, then contained myself.

My leader's eyes drifted over the crowd of cats, and I wondered which warrior would be my mentor. Maybe my father, Lionwing? Or maybe the mate of Dragonstorm, Oakpelt? Hopefully not the grouch Darkfur… Possibly Bu-

"I will mentor her." I almost fell over in shock.

_Crossstar is going to mentor __**me?**_

He leaped down from Highrock, and kept his face serious, though his eyes were highly amused.

He bent down slightly, and touched his nose to mine.

Cries of my new name rose up, and I felt a blush searing across my face.

"Sweetpaw! Sweetpaw!"

"Frostheart has already informed me that you will be staying in her den a few more days, so when she deems you completely healthy, I'll take you out on a tour of ThunderClan," Crossstar said. I nodded eagerly, then tried to stop myself from asking the question most likely on everyone's mind.

"Why did you choose to mentor me?"

Crossstar smiled at me, then turned to leap back up on Highrock. His tail gently flicked my face.

My siblings rushed forward and tackled me eagerly.

"Sweetpaw! Sweetpaw!" They yowled. I purred happily, as the nice warriors came forward to congratulate me.

Finally, things calmed, and I stumbled back to Frostheart's den. Someone came up on my right side, and helped me walk. I glanced over to see Ashpaw staring at the ground in front of his paws.

"I'm going to miss seeing you in the den," He mewed softly. My heart stopped in my chest for a moment, then began again frantically.

"Why'd you want to be a medicine cat's apprentice? I mean, you've got to be an amazing hunter and fighter…" The words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them. Ashpaw turned his head towards me, and I realized for the first time how big he was compared to me.

"At first I didn't want to be a medicine cat. However, StarClan has chosen this path for me. And of course, I had ulterior motives," Ashpaw purred.

"What were they?"

"You got sick. I was scared out of my mind, because without luck, and the right treatment, many _warriors_ die from greencough. I was scared I was going to lose you, and then, of course, you pulled through."

Again, my heart stopped.

"Alright, who put you up to this?" I hissed, jerking away from his support. I stumbled, and then whirled around to face him.

It was just after sunhigh, and everyone was sharing tongues. I wanted nothing more than to take back my words and go sit with the elders again.

"No one. I'm telling the truth," He hissed back, flattening his ears. We each stood our ground, but then a coughing fit overcame me.

"Don't touch me, mouse- brain!" I snapped when he stepped forward. Ashpaw ignored me, and slid under me. He stood again, and I was draped across his shoulders. I kept coughing as he ran across the clearing to his den.

"Frostheart!" He yowled. My coughing still didn't stop, and my lungs began to ache. I couldn't breathe around the coughs, and my vision was starting to go fuzzy.

I could hear Frostheart's drumming heart all around me. The slow, relaxed breathing of Flower reached my ears. The low mews of Crossstar and Sparklewind also came to me, though I couldn't focus on them.

Every sound in the forest; around the lake; from everywhere exploded in my mind.

_Is this what dying is like?_

Suddenly, the little cave was filled with cats, though they were see-through.

_**It is not your time to join us, Sweetpaw. **_One of them mewed. It was a she-cat, and her form constantly shifted into a Twoleg.

_Who are you?_

_**Your great-great-grandmother. I am Aune. **_A tall spiky haired Twoleg male came up beside her, but he shifted into a tom.

I almost died right then and there.

_**This is too much for her to take in. Her powers will come soon, but for now, she needs air. And sleep. Live, Sweetpaw. We will speak again soon.**_ This was a tom, a silver tabby with two colored eyes.

And then air was rushing into my aching lungs, and the spectral cats disappeared.

"Sweetpaw! Thank StarClan!" Ashpaw exclaimed. He nuzzled me, and I could hear his heart pounding.

Frostheart came up with some catmint, chewed up on a leaf.

"Eat this, Sweetpaw. You may not be as healthy as I thought you were."

_**I'm going to kill Ashpaw for getting her so riled up.**_

I jumped in shock. I just heard Frostheart's thoughts.

_I just heard Frostheart's thoughts! Holy shit!_

More and more thoughts rushed at me.

**Dammit… Sparklewind is such a mouse-brain!** – Dawnstripe.

Mm… This sun feels sooo good. – Willowear.

_I need to tell Crossstar about Coldmoon…_ - Lightningwind.

I fainted.

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**Author's Note- Well, what'd you guys think of the first chapter? I'm going to have different songs title each chapter, a kinda sorta first for me. Review, my lovelies! :D Oh, and I got permission to use Aune, and Shiny from 's crossover!**


	2. Something To Believe In

**Author's Note- Hi again! How is everyone? Hehe… Well, this is the next chappie of I'm Still Here! :D**

**Disclaimer-I own nothing but my OCs and the plot… **

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**Random cats from other Clans and such**

**Mousestar—**Tortoiseshell leader of WindClan. She-cat

**Twistedear—**Black and white deputy of WindClan. Tom

**Icefang—**Daughter of Mousestar. Runs all the way to ThunderClan to get help.

_Chapter 2_

_Something to Believe In (Jeremiah)_

_Sweetpaw's POV_

I came to, and Ashpaw was curled around me. His dreams came to me loud and clear.

_Grass swayed back and forth in front of me, but the rabbit's scent still drifted past my nose._

_I dropped into the hunting crouch, and then the entire scene shifted. Sweetpaw stood in front of me, completely healthy._

"_Why'd you want to be a medicine cat's apprentice?" She mewed, tilting her head to the side. Those bright green eyes bored into mine._

_I tried to answer, but she began to walk away. When I tried to chase after her, my feet wouldn't move. _

_Soon she disappeared from sight, and a crushing grief rose in me. It drowned me._

"_SWEETPAW!"_

Both of us snapped out of the dream at the same time. I could feel, and hear, Ashpaw's thudding heartbeat. I could smell his fear-scent.

"Sweetpaw, how are you feeling?" He asked, as he slid away from me. He raised a paw, and felt the pads of my feet. "Fever's gone… Are your lungs still aching? Do you feel dizzy?"

"I feel fine," I mewed. He still circled me, poking random spots. I flinched when he prodded my shoulder, which I'd landed on after my slip and slide down sunning rock yesterday.

"Sorry," He purred softly. Sunlight filtered in through the opening to Frostheart's den, and yowls echoed in my ears.

I jumped to my feet, and then realized that it wasn't in our camp. It came from WindClan territory.

"Frostheart!" I heard her pad into the camp, and I raced out of her den, stumbling.

"Sweetpaw! You should be resting! Ashpaw, why'd you let her stand?" Frostheart growled.

"WindClan is in trouble! Foxes broke into their camp!" I snapped, trying to get her to focus on me. This had nothing to do with Ashpaw!

"What are you talking about?" The medicine cat exclaimed.

"WindClan is in _trouble!_ I can hear it! And see it!" I yowled. And yeah, I could. I could see the scene as if I were standing right in the middle of it.

"_**HELP!"**_ That was a yowl definitely not in my head. An off-white she-cat stood panting in the entrance. She was thin and wiry, so I assumed she was from WindClan.

"A pack of foxes is attacking our camp! You have to help!" She shrieked. Blood fell from her side in a steady stream. She wavered, but stayed standing.

Every warrior came forward.

Crossstar leaped down from his den above Highrock.

"Burntail, Darkfur, Dawnstripe! Stay here and protect the Clan. Sunpaw, Dapplepaw, stay and help them! All other warriors and apprentices, with me! Icefang, lead the way!" Crossstar yowled. I froze. He hadn't told me to stay behind. Holy crap.

Ashpaw came up beside me, two bundles of herbs in his mouth.

"Take this!" He hissed, then tossed one at me. I grabbed it gently in my teeth, then took off. I wouldn't be much help fighting, but I could tend to the wounded with Ashpaw and Frostheart. Of course, they'd be fighting too…

How am I supposed to keep up?

I ran my hardest, and actually kept pace with everyone else. I got a nose full of WindClan scent, and I knew it was nowhere near as bad as the ShadowClan stink.. Which I could oddly smell.

_The fuck is up with my senses?_

I looked around me, and saw the warriors of my Clan moving as a single unit towards the little hollow I knew belonged to WindClan.

I'm starting to know too much.

When we burst into the camp, I could hear the dying cries of a cat even clearer.

I followed my ears, and saw a dark brown tabby tom with one of his ears almost completely torn off, and a gaping hole in his stomach.

I almost retched.

"Ashpaw!" I yowled. He sprinted towards me instantly, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a streak of ginger.

"_**NO!"**_ I leaped forward, and knocked him out of the way.

The fox caught me in its mouth instead, and took off towards the forest ThunderClan didn't control.

"_**SWEETPAW!"**_ Ashpaw's furious screech echoed all around me. I tried squirming out of the fox's mouth, but he clenched his teeth tighter around me. None of them pierced me, but it was a clear warning.

I should stay still.

The rest of the foxes appeared around us, and I realized the leader was carrying me.

Their thoughts were clearer than I thought they'd be; in fact, they were almost clearer than a cat's!

_This is the one? She's such a small, frail thing! How is she supposed to help us?_ This came from a dark red male towards the back. He limped slightly, and I realized that some of them were splitting off…

Creating a false trail. They were making sure my Clan wouldn't find me.

"Why are you doing this?" I mewed softly. I didn't expect an answer, since I was blocking his mouth, but an answer formed in his mind.

_We have our own version of StarClan, young one. They sent a message to our healer, saying we must find the cat who speaks with her mind, and uses her senses with her heart. You are she._

He knows I can read thoughts. Holy crap. Holy crap.

"So why did you attack WindClan? They never did anything wrong…"

_We meant to have a diplomatic meeting with their leader, but as soon as they saw me, they assumed we were attacking. We were just defending ourselves._

"Then what about that poor tom who was ripped to shreds?" I yowled.

Again, those teeth clenched tighter. Then loosened slightly.

_You would do well to keep your voice down, young one. And that was a mistake. He and one of our youngsters got into it, and the youngster lost his head. _

"Why were you leaping towards Ashpaw? If you were thinking about hurting him, I swear I will destroy you!" I hissed. I could still hear Ashpaw, his mournful yowls. They brought tears to my eyes.

_I was going to leap over him. When I saw you rushing to his defense, I heard the whispers of my ancestors. They told me you were the one, so I grabbed you. I would never have hurt him._

"What is your name?" My fighting spirit calmed. I looked him in the eye, and those dark brown eyes held gentleness and truth.

_Heartsong. My original name was Heartstrike, but whenever a fox becomes leader, we take the name song. Our culture is similar to yours, in a way, though much more volatile. If two foxes from different packs so much as look at each other funny, those packs could go to war, should either take offense. _

"My name is Sweetpaw. And I'd like to learn more about fox culture, if you don't mind."

_All in due time. When we get to camp, you shall give me your story, then you shall hear ours._

"Okay," I purred, then tried to get comfortable. Heartsong stopped for a moment, and grabbed me gently by the nape of my neck.

"Is this better?" His voice was a gentle growl.

"Much!"

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The fox camp was amazing. The elders den –Heartsong pointed it out for me- was made of sparkly stone, and I knew it was watertight.

What I assumed was the warriors den was made of brambles, and it was _huge!_ I mean, I know that the foxes are a lot bigger than cats, but still! It was _huge!_

All of the foxes emerged, and I felt fear quiver in my heart. Heartsong could've been lying… He could've brought me here as a treat for his pack.

Keep me safe StarClan…

"Sweetpaw, calm down. They can all smell your fear, and it makes them nervous. I won't let anything happen to you," Heartsong growled.

I gulped, then nodded.

"I trust you," I mewed. I raised my head, and breathed. He will keep me safe.

"Brethren!" Heartsong called. "We have found her!" Immediately, yips of what I hoped were joy rang through the air. Even the kits were happy, leaping all over each other near the nursery.

"Heartsong… When will I be able to go back?" I asked, afraid of the answer. Again, Ashpaw's voice rang in my ears from far away.

He turned his head towards me, and smiled.

"You will be with your Clan soon, I promise."

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_Ashpaw's POV_

The lead fox, I assumed, galloped off Sweetpaw in his mouth. I instantly raced after them, screeching Sweetpaw's name. But an older fox, one that seemed to have trouble running but was still quick, stopped me. She blocked my way, and when I tried to attack her, she just smiled, then took off in the opposite direction everyone else had. I'd lost them. No..

"_**SWEETPAW!"**_ I caterwauled her named to the sky, feeling tears build in my eyes.

I lost her…

_**Dammit!**_

"Crossstar!" I screeched, turning towards my leader. "We've got to save her!"

"There's nothing we can do!" He growled, looking mournfully towards the sky. "And even if we did, how could we get her back? There's an entire pack of foxes, Ashpaw! There's no way… I'm sorry."

Again, my voice rose to a caterwaul.

"_**NO!"**_ I collapsed on the ground, and buried my face in my paws. I sobbed. I just lay there and sobbed.

Mousestar, the leader of WindClan, began speaking with Crossstar.

"Thank you. They would've destroyed us without you."

"We owe you a great debt," Twistedear murmured. Someone nudged me, but I didn't move.

"Let's just drag him back," Mothblaze mewed. The same someone who nudged me hissed ferociously, then prodded my shoulder again.

"Ashpaw… C'mon. You have to get up. We're about to leave," My sister's mew was gentle.

"I lost her!" I yowled into my paws.

"Move, apprentices. I'll get him."

"Leave me be, Sparklewind. When we leave, I'll move."

"No, you'll move now. Come on. You're old enough now that you should be able to deal with things like this. So stop moping around like a spoiled kit!" His words filled me with rage, and I leaped upwards to get in his face.

"Have you ever loved someone so much you know you can't live without them? Have you ever loved someone so much that if they so much as get a splinter you're instantly at their side, making sure they're okay? Have you ever loved someone so much that if they got sick with a killing disease, you'd immediately give up the life you'd planned to help them? _Have you?_" I hissed.

Sparklewind looked down at me with unsympathetic eyes.

"Yes, and I still do. But th-"

"And you know she's absolutely fine, don't you? You don't have to worry if she's going to be eaten!"

"You have a point, Ashpaw. But you have to listen to me. _There. Is. Nothing. You. Can. Do!_" He hissed.

"_Don't say that!"_ I yowled, letting my hackles rise.

"Stop!" Crossstar broke in between us, and I resisted the urge to claw him.

"Calm down, both of you. This is not the time or place to be doing this. Ashpaw, when we get back to camp, I want to have a word with you in my den. Sparklewind, gather up our cats," He snapped, staring both of us down.

Sparklewind trudged off dutifully, while I just stood there for a moment.

"Crossstar, we can't just leave her to be torn apart by those foxes!" I yowled. He stood tall, and stared down at me.

"Ashpaw, calm yourself! We will discuss this when we get back to camp!"

"_NO!_ They'll have eaten her by the time we get home! We have to do something _**NOW!**_"

Before he could answer, I tore out of WindClan camp, following the disgusting stench of fox. There were two separate trails, one veering off towards RiverClan, the other going into the woods no Clan controlled. I took that route, rolling around in the fox smell to stop anyone from following me.

_I will find you, Sweetpaw._

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_Sweetpaw's POV_

_I will find you, Sweetpaw._

Ashpaw's thoughts rang through my mind.

I jumped to my feet, then paced around for a moment.

"Heartsong, Ashpaw is coming after me… Is there any way he could find his way here? Will your pack hurt him? Will any other pack hurt him?" Panic surged through me at the image of Ashpaw's torn and bloody body.

"The young one will be fine. Cats very seldom wander into these woods, and when they do, they are welcomed as guests. Calm yourself, Sweetpaw. Sit back down."

"But he thinks your pack ate me! He's coming to die too! And how am I supposed to calm down?"

_There were a lot of foxes… There's no way I'll be able to survive fighting even one… At least we'll see each other in StarClan…_

I relayed Ashpaw's thoughts to Heartsong.

The fox leader just sat there calmly.

"This young one seems to feel very strongly for you, no?" I felt a blush spread across my face.

"That's not the point, Heartsong! He's going to rush into the camp, claws and fangs bared! He's going to attack the first fox he sees, and they'll kill him! I can't lose him!" I yowled.

"So you feel strongly for him?" Mouse-brain!

"You're not getti-" A familiar yowl interrupted my hiss, and I cursed Ashpaw.

I flung myself through the curtain of lichen covering the front of Heartsong's den.

"Ashpaw, s_top!_" I screeched. He froze, his eyes wide and his claws stretched towards Darkbone, one of the queens.

She looked at me, then backed towards the nursery, herding almost all of her kits. The last one, the one who'd glomped me when I was getting the tour of the camp, bounded towards me.

"Sweetfeather!" He crowed. I licked the top of his head.

"Don't call me Sweetfeather. My name is Sweetpaw. I'm still just an apprentice," I mewed. My feet began moving towards the still-frozen Ashpaw. His head turned, and his eyes locked with mine.

"Yeah, but your fur looks like feathers! And your name is Sweet… So Sweetfeather! Please don't be mad at me for the nickname," Blazepup whimpered.

"Blazepup, go back to your mother. I need to talk to Ashpaw," I murmured, flicking my tail across his nose gently.

"Okay Sweetfeather!" The pup trundled back to his mother, whose shining eyes I could see.

"Sweetpaw… Am I already dead?" He mewed, finally moving towards me. I stood just in front of him, with my head bowed.

He moved forward, and rubbed his cheek against mine. My body rumbled with uncontrollable purrs.

"Is this a dream? Or is this real?" Ashpaw whispered, as he rubbed against my entire body.

"We're not dead," I mewed back.

"So the foxes didn't eat you?"

"It's a long story."

"I didn't lose you?" This time, his voice made me want to cry.

"You never would've."

It was then that he finally figured out that we weren't dead, this was really happening, and I was right in front of him.

"Sweetpaw!" He yowled, laughing and smiling, still rubbing against me.

I laughed, then nudged him. Heartsong stood just outside his den, smiling. He moved his head slightly, and I got the message.

"Come on, Ashpaw. There's someone I want you to meet."

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**Author's Note- Weeellll? What'd you people think? Like? Love? Hate? Review please!**


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